Real (Estate) Talk: New challenge for a new year

As featured in my <a href="https://www.inman.com/2020/12/17/real-estate-talk-new-challenge-for-a-new-year/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">monthly Inman news column</span></a>.  <div><br /><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">In April 1968, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Within days of Dr. King's murder, the federal <b>Fair Housing Act of 1968</b> was finally enacted after <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0812252756/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_RbNYFbXER5SFW" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">"more than twenty years of advocacy and opposition"</span></a> including congressional deadlock. It was not the first U.S. fair housing law -- we saw that in 1866 -- but it was the most comprehensive that did not require the nearly impossible burden of proof to include a demonstration of intentional discrimination. In other words, fair housing legislation sadly did not (and does not) occur by accident, osmosis, or without determined intervention and even loss of life.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why then?</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then-President Johnson saw the passing of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 as a </span><a href="https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/aboutfheo/history#:~:text=Martin%20Luther%20King%2C%20Jr.,with%20the%20fair%20housing%20legislation." style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">'<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">fitting memorial</span>'</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to Dr. King's life, which was dedicated to the realization of civil (which are ultimately human) rights. Thus, as we continue to champion fair housing 365/24/7 (with April officially commemorating fair housing), it seems paramount that the journey and sacrifices for our ongoing work for fair housing be especially honored as the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday approaches on Monday, January 18, 2021.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">How so?</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let's start this new year with a new challenge. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.16px;"></span></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">Is there courage in real estate?</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;"></span></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">Dear REALTOR® I know life is not fair.</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">Yet, I expect you to care and be aware.</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;"></span></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">When I start crying and staring into space,</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">I want to know if it’s safe to bring up race.</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;"></span></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">Sometimes stories of struggle can make us connect.</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">Sometimes I need to know if I can breathe and reflect.</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;"></span></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">How much about my history did you choose to learn?</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">Have you been willing to rebuild what’s been burned?</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;"></span></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">People can be bridges if they have the right tools. </span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">But too many believe being vulnerable is for fools.</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;"></span></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">Courage leads to advocacy and freedom is the cause.</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">Allyship</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; letter-spacing: 0.16px;"> is a life-long practice with very little pause.<br /></span></span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;"></span></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">Activism might look like art or protesting on marching day.</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">It might also look like self-care and permission to pray.</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;"></span></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">Dear REALTOR® the more you share the better I feel.</span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.16px;">Don’t just tell me I matter and hand me my bill. </span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Montserrat; letter-spacing: 0.16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #555555;"></span></p></span></span></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Montserrat; letter-spacing: 0.16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #555555;">--Adapted from </span><a href="https://choice-online.com/courage-in-the-coach/?upid=20180191&ebid=18713619&ebslid=1567269&eblid=152" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">"Is there courage in the coach?" by Venus Jones</span></a></p></span></span></div></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; white-space: normal;"><a href="https://choice-online.com/courage-in-the-coach/?upid=20180191&ebid=18713619&ebslid=1567269&eblid=152" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"></span></a></p></span></span></div></div></blockquote></blockquote><div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the past few weeks, we heard from the National Association of REALTORS® <a href="https://magazine.realtor/news-and-commentary/feature/article/2020/11/an-apology-from-the-national-association-of-realtors" target="_blank">"we are sorry</a>" for discrimination along with penance that includes higher code of ethics standards that formally disallow hate speech, harassment, slurs, and epithets among members at any time. What a courageous moment! </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we leave behind a turbulent 2020 that has taught us a lot, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">we have an opportunity to continue to show courage at an individual level. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Join the 2021 new year's challenge to be a <b>J.E.D.I. Defender </b>(with J.E.D.I. standing for </span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, a newly popular acronym that seems to have been originally coined by <a href="https://theavarnagroup.com/about/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Avarna</span></a> but I first heard used by my friends at<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> </span><a href="https://theavarnagroup.com/about/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Compass</span>)</a></span><b style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you desire automated reminders, you can </span><a href="https://www.ypn.realtor/the-lounge/are-you-ready-to-start-2021-as-a-j-e-d-i-defender/" style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">opt-in to the weekly text updates here</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but that is not necessary or required to be a 2021 J.E.D.I. Defender. Feel free to create your own alerts by adding the following 4-week challenge to your cell phone or calendar alerts.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigV0UaEruxz6jkVAHN2mlym8JtXnShOLnrONx1V_DLes6dQfOgEAr5QcCTapX0RnD5hMCTHYndLQ8ME1vu-iZzXgavfyAwr_vImO_uVEoFyr2i3D7nuWkyC0VWMZZcy3tuo01Esdz9RaI/s2048/J.e.d.i.+defender+%25283%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigV0UaEruxz6jkVAHN2mlym8JtXnShOLnrONx1V_DLes6dQfOgEAr5QcCTapX0RnD5hMCTHYndLQ8ME1vu-iZzXgavfyAwr_vImO_uVEoFyr2i3D7nuWkyC0VWMZZcy3tuo01Esdz9RaI/w640-h360/J.e.d.i.+defender+%25283%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>J.E.D.I. Defender Challenge Week 1 (complete during 01.04.2021 - 01.10.2021): </b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i><b>What trustworthy publication (podcast, video channel, social media acct., email newsletter, etc.) will I sign-up with this week that promotes the American Dream of FAIR homeownership?</b></i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Join the conversation by sharing your responses online with the hashtag #JediDefender2021 or please share here: https://forms.gle/3UPaYooJtgfmWNB46 </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">J.E.D.I. Defender Challenge Week 2 (complete during 01.11.2021 - 01.17.2021): </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>What authoritative class will I sign-up to take this week (</b></i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>NAR's Fairhaven <a href="https://fairhaven.realtor">https://fairhaven.realtor</a> counts!) </i></b></span></span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>that promotes the American Dream of FAIR homeownership? </b></i></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Join the conversation by sharing your responses online with the hashtag #JediDefender2021 or please share here: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://forms.gle/kcwSnzAuAJrEQaUS9 </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>J.E.D.I. Defender Challenge Week 3 (complete during 01.18.2021 - 01.24.2021): </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>It's MLK Day (Dr. King's assassination sparked the final passing of the 1968 Fair Housing Act) & the National Day of Service! What credible organization will I volunteer with this week to promote FAIR homeownership? </i></b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Join the conversation by sharing your responses online with the hashtag #JediDefender2021 or please share here:</span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> https://forms.gle/9Eh4bbimziG </span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>J.E.D.I. Defender Challenge Week 4 (complete during 01.25.2021 - 01.31.2021): </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>What ethical conversations can I have this week to promote FAIR homeownership? Hint: This may be 1:1 or featured (please tag #JediDefender2021) on your website, social media, email, newsletter, video series, so forth. </b></i></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Join the conversation by sharing your responses online with the hashtag #JediDefender2021 or please share here:</span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> https://forms.gle/7ZbpKsHVs39ujhW29</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">May the Force of Fair Housing be with You!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Sound off -</b> I would love to hear from you!  Give me a shout on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LearnWithDrLee" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://instagram.com/learnwithdrlee" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instagram</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/leedavenport8?sub_confirmation=1" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">YouTube</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or by visiting </span><a href="http://www.learnwithdrlee.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LearnWithDrLee.com</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.  </span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Want more of the best practices of our nation's top producers? Grab your copy of the short read, <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.learnwithlee.realtor/p/resources.html" target="_blank">Profit with Your Personality</a> </span></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and, the classic, 5-star rated workbook, </span><a href="http://amzn.com/1508652325" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Plan to Win</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to transform their real estate sales game plan. Or, get your "training on" with these <a href="http://vimeo.com/ondemand/learnwithdrlee" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">on-demand classes</span></b></a>. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here's to your success! #LearnWithDrLee</span></div>

fairhaven, JEDI

Real (Estate) Talk: New challenge for a new year

As featured in my monthly Inman news column .   In April 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Within days of Dr. King's mu...

Real (Estate) Talk: Neither fair nor a haven, NAR’s Fairhaven is just what we need

<div> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">As featured in my <a href="https://www.inman.com/2020/11/24/real-estate-talk-neither-fair-nor-a-haven-nars-fairhaven-is-what-we-need/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">monthly Inman News column</span></a>.   </span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i>'Another short sighted article by NAR on the more complex issues realtors and their brokers deal with when assisting clients with both purchasing and selling residential properties.  Why always make it about race? Shame on your NAR!' -- Comment on REALTOR® Magazine Live Article, '<a href="https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2020/11/11/helping-brokers-fight-discrimination" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Helping Brokers Fight Discrimination</span></a>'  </i></span></blockquote><p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAVdXqBQ7zP_TUc1YvbtnhkwUUxODBFsQlt-DoBZd3bkzNr5pxv0SzTkuyvRIjDzcV8DXoo4RgvJQJI43udfoVy4m9Ra99BiwaVjoAH2O_g_zGVOWIk9hYHVjoKgDQ4fLK-f7dja1FyE/s1318/Screen+Shot+2020-11-30+at+12.59.06+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="104" data-original-width="1318" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAVdXqBQ7zP_TUc1YvbtnhkwUUxODBFsQlt-DoBZd3bkzNr5pxv0SzTkuyvRIjDzcV8DXoo4RgvJQJI43udfoVy4m9Ra99BiwaVjoAH2O_g_zGVOWIk9hYHVjoKgDQ4fLK-f7dja1FyE/w640-h50/Screen+Shot+2020-11-30+at+12.59.06+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> Some of us are dealing with fatigue. Pandemic fatigue. Protest fatigue. And both may include fatigue surrounding race, racism, and other needs of protected classes. This commenter's frustration is valid and it likely represents how many of us feel so I dare not brush past it. There are indeed other complex issues that REALTORS® are facing and addressing, such as low housing inventory, natural disasters, disruptive technology, the uptick of bank and mortgage defaults just this month, and the like.  </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">But here is the mind-binder, most of these other challenges today, were not present consecutively for ten or twenty or fifty years. For the people in the back, I will repeat myself: These other challenges have not been non-stop, unrelenting year after year after year. Yet, the disregard for the legal rights of those in protected classes has been a battle since those lawful rights were granted in 1968, 1974 and 1988 (c.f. <a href="https://www.inman.com/2020/07/15/there-goes-the-neighborhood-the-history-of-race-and-homeownership/"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">There Goes the Neighborhood: The history of race and homeownership</span></a>). Thus, it is not that any of our challenges are to be ignored but it is finally high-time we get fair housing right. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Remember how in college those that did not pass a core subject typically had to repeat it? Retaking one course did not stop your progression in other subject matters on a different track (retaking Calculus likely did not stop your Shakespearian class). Likewise, we as a collective industry have to retake our fair housing studies (which does not have to be a deterrent for other matters) until we either make it a realization for all protected classes (that is our passing grade) or retire. I hope you, like me, want to see the betterment of our industry by getting fair housing -- it's the law -- right. To help us as an industry, the National Association of Realtors has literally upped its 'game' to help us get fair housing right.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><h1><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Fairhaven Has Me 'In My Feelings'</span></h1><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> Every since I have lived in metro Atlanta, for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I make it a point to visit the various museums that simulate and allow us as patrons to personally experience what it was like to be a <a href="https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/programs/martin-luther-king-jr.-day-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">freedom rider</span></a>, <a href="https://www.civilandhumanrights.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">lunch counter sit-in protester</span></a>, an <a href="https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/?p=for-schools/educator-resources/cultural-experience-project-study-guide" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">enslaved Civil War soldier</span></a> and others that bravely faced discrimination along with hearing firsthand-accounts from survivors of these bygone eras. Those brief, manufactured experiences in someone else's shoes are emotionally taxing but heighten our awareness of the struggles of those that have come before us. The fact that we can say it is too much and choose to walk away embeds the pain of those who could not walk away. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Real talk, that is how I felt when I visited Fairhaven. Not the actual city in Massachusetts or the fictional city in <i>Need for Speed</i>. Rather, the Fairhaven I am referring to is the <a href="https://www.inman.com/2020/11/20/nar-apologizes-for-shameful-past-housing-discrimination/"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">National Association of Realtor's</span></a> new <a href="https://fairhaven.realtor/home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">online fair housing simulation</span></a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAj1JhVtp-grhXJND1QBGfDjiBN34ltpJ03nvZNE9G9GLB52Fi3hgfp5Os8dGc0ZxfiiKvd8FnLIKhlDoCdVoBEkGmTG7pAfanI8tbKqK93PNY6aJdEhb6tg10avviW__1_e7I_pBpdA/s2517/Screen+Shot+2020-11-20+at+6.52.27+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1249" data-original-width="2517" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAj1JhVtp-grhXJND1QBGfDjiBN34ltpJ03nvZNE9G9GLB52Fi3hgfp5Os8dGc0ZxfiiKvd8FnLIKhlDoCdVoBEkGmTG7pAfanI8tbKqK93PNY6aJdEhb6tg10avviW__1_e7I_pBpdA/w640-h318/Screen+Shot+2020-11-20+at+6.52.27+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">When you visit <a href="https://fairhaven.realtor"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">https://fairhaven.realtor</span></a>, you are just a click away from launching the web-based virtual game-like world. Those of you already geared up with PS5 and acquainted with virtual worlds will likely see this as a piece of cake that is perhaps too simplistic for your sophisticated gaming abilities. But the user-friendliness of NAR's Fairhaven hopefully gives all of the pros even more reason to be early adopters and finishers of this simulation. For the rest of us, you will welcome the guided prompts with tips and instructions throughout NAR's Fairhaven. </span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In this first iteration, after logging in with your NRDS number, you will simply click 'Continue' (or the forward arrow in some instances) to advance to the next screen throughout your entire time in NAR's Fairhaven.  In true gaming fashion, NAR's Fairhaven does not give an outline of the different simulations of buying and selling you will encounter -- that is part of the surprise and fun of gaming. However, at the start you are informed that the goal is to complete 4 transactions/sales by the end of the simulation based on the various scenarios that you will face. How that will happen is the mystery that will be determined by your responses to the prompts throughout the various scenarios, since they are not outlined in advance (so no cheating). </span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">For those of you like me (competitive!), I can imagine that your competitive senses are tingling and you may be itching to play just to prove you can close all 4 deals.  That's great! To encourage a 'buzz' around Fairhaven, I wish there was a leaderboard that shows scores and times and even allows us to high-five each other (like I do when riding with Peloton).</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> I am halfway through the simulation (with 2 of my 4 transactions closed, <em>womp womp!</em>) and had to just step away, again recognizing the privilege of being able to step away from NAR's Fairhaven's simulations of discrimination, as that's not always an option as illustrated by the real stories in NAR's Fairhaven.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSQ5jRXh4jrXK9PGEfdZCQIQFAx6sr3WeHpQz0q50BaHGmfcqnTbgknOnsoyOKwV32jEo9t57R1gZIiTwDfaP1hwzh0KnOj7lL1xZ-4zeqy7-L1rPT9XBen7Nk-MQE-VxGc1n8OalE4w/s2048/Screen+Shot+2020-11-20+at+5.18.14+PM.png"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSQ5jRXh4jrXK9PGEfdZCQIQFAx6sr3WeHpQz0q50BaHGmfcqnTbgknOnsoyOKwV32jEo9t57R1gZIiTwDfaP1hwzh0KnOj7lL1xZ-4zeqy7-L1rPT9XBen7Nk-MQE-VxGc1n8OalE4w/w640-h400/Screen+Shot+2020-11-20+at+5.18.14+PM.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> In the roughly 30 minutes (about halfway) that I have been in NAR's Fairhaven, I have had to make decisions surrounding timely topics including: </span><ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Gender identity</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Disability accessibility</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Language barriers</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">LGBTQ+ partners</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> Assigning clients with agents because they share a protected class (Scenario example: You're Asian, so you <i><b>must</b></i> want to work with someone Asian regardless of whether the agent is Japanese and you are Korean).</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Covert discrimination and unfair treatment</span> </li></ul><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> All that in just 30 minutes, <i>whew</i>! The music is somber throughout, and rightfully so, except when I closed a sale.  </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-767ad74c934c5f38-8431" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzxuo_ZXE3YW4aK-8LlEXRybXbyMJc-ojKCGibuD8zL4Lrg6jXs2ZG37IEinJbBM7NeJOFqOHjLHoP3W_gNyUbBT-PdnfStKiiCR4-1DlqmUx8fBhS66ZiRnxD2C77oDqVbbkw&origin=www.learnwithdrlee.today" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Bonus: NAR's Fairhaven includes additional resource links and videos throughout with heart-wrenching stories of discrimination from actual real estate clients and testers. We might not have personally seen all of these forms of discrimination up close or even understand how insidious they can be, but NAR's Fairhaven gives us a bird’s-eye view of real and recent stories with quick access to additional information. No excuses.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnqyuoqJJbrMiHE7nPPtIfB5XtuTAm9QEiySmvc1Oc-gudR1ct1cJZw1TezLrjhU1B0z_NpvO8_VzyW489MILQhRfnZ22s9ZWOnIO47075MTOCPpZpxLwJ4KJogPvVGj-hmXyyZjQucc/s2048/fairhaven.realtorcour.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="2048" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnqyuoqJJbrMiHE7nPPtIfB5XtuTAm9QEiySmvc1Oc-gudR1ct1cJZw1TezLrjhU1B0z_NpvO8_VzyW489MILQhRfnZ22s9ZWOnIO47075MTOCPpZpxLwJ4KJogPvVGj-hmXyyZjQucc/w640-h378/fairhaven.realtorcour.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div><br /></div> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39-So8RKs6lsAFP4MQB6FFK1SaevsX4Un9mzs4ceInOu-CDwxgHJIK7rbkaY6I0M13T3uySEmayZzHVHm1Z7H9g8zcrczxg5NhUd8-93DzemPxQNkowkGo6UAEg7MzWgD-NbQoBAjeac/s2048/Screen+Shot+2020-11-20+at+5.12.40+PM.png"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39-So8RKs6lsAFP4MQB6FFK1SaevsX4Un9mzs4ceInOu-CDwxgHJIK7rbkaY6I0M13T3uySEmayZzHVHm1Z7H9g8zcrczxg5NhUd8-93DzemPxQNkowkGo6UAEg7MzWgD-NbQoBAjeac/w640-h400/Screen+Shot+2020-11-20+at+5.12.40+PM.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> Furthermore, thank you NAR for getting our "heads out of the sand" of solely focusing only on fair housing in earshot of clients! This simulation touches water cooler conversations among our colleagues, along with our responsibility to speak up and even report them ("see something, say something" is not just for the NYC MTA). Additionally, in NAR's Fairhaven you get to step into the roles of clients facing discrimination on a few occasions, which hopefully helps further build deeper empathy in each of us. It sure did for me! I consider myself a champion of fair housing, and NAR's Fairhaven is making me go harder.  </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">NAR, Fairhaven is such a great start that I have to ask: May we please have a version of this that is in training module form so that brokers, managers and coaches can use these modules separately as part of office trainings and workshops? Modules would allow us to project to a classroom, jump around and spend time on topics that are most needed on a given day.  </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Coach's challenge: Have you experienced NAR's Fairhaven yet? The CDC has recommended we stay put as much as possible, but NAR's Fairhaven is a locale I hope you will visit before the year ends and will take others with you on the journey. </span></div>   <div><br /></div><div>  </div><div><b>Sound off -</b> I would love to hear from you!  Give me a shout on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LearnWithDrLee" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://instagram.com/learnwithdrlee" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instagram</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/leedavenport8?sub_confirmation=1" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">YouTube</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or by visiting </span><a href="http://www.learnwithdrlee.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LearnWithDrLee.com</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.  </span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Want more of the best practices of our nation's top producers? Grab your copy of the short read, <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.learnwithlee.realtor/p/resources.html" target="_blank">Profit with Your Personality</a> </span></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and, the classic, 5-star rated workbook, </span><a href="http://amzn.com/1508652325" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Plan to Win</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to transform their real estate sales game plan. Or, get your "training on" with these <a href="http://vimeo.com/ondemand/learnwithdrlee" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">on-demand classes</span></b></a>. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here's to your success! #LearnWithDrLee</span></div></div>

fair housing, fairhaven, inman news monthly column, realtor

Real (Estate) Talk: Neither fair nor a haven, NAR’s Fairhaven is just what we need

As featured in my monthly Inman News column .    'Another short sighted article by NAR on the more complex issues realtors and their br...